Motorists were warned of a possible ambush by hungry wild elephants on a highway through a wildlife sanctuary in Chachoengsao.

Weerapong Korawat, chief of the Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary, said wild elephants might stop passing vehicles to search for food from this month to April 30.

Weerapong said the wild elephants have learned that trucks are transporting crops, especially sugar cane, to factories, using the 3076 highway that runs through the wildlife sanctuary for about 15 kilometres.

He said his officials found that wild elephants often stopped passing vehicles on that part of the road linking Chachoengsao and Sa Kaew and searched the back of vehicles, especially pickups and trucks.

He said the wild elephants often came out from 6am to 8.30am and 2pm to 9pm. They would block the road, forcing vehicles to stop, and then ransack the back.

Motorists were advised to properly cover their goods in the back of the trucks and pickup drivers were advised to keep their belongings inside the vehicle instead of the back.

Passengers were also advised not to ride on the back of pickups and motorcyclists were advised not to use the road during the hours that wild elephants were most likely to be on the prowl.